Why Karlee finds reading a greeting card a mortifying experience

As the festive season approaches, we have a lot to look forward to – good food, good company, and of course, presents. 

But for some, the moment of opening up a gift and reading a heartfelt message from a loved one can end up being a mortifying experience. 

That was often the case for 23-year-old Karlee Symonds, who was born with a rare eye condition called Leber congenital amaurosis. It has resulted in her being legally blind since birth, with her vision deteriorating as she grew.

"Every single birthday or Christmas or major milestone… I would receive gift cards from friends and family," she tells nine.com.au, "and for me, it always brought up a lot of emotions, because I always had this sense of anxiety associated with it because I knew I wouldn't be able to read what was written

"It just creates this really uncomfortable situation where I'm having to actually ask the person who gave me the card what it said.

"That is something that I have struggled with consistently throughout my life.

"It's really reminding me each time that I'm receiving a card that I'm technically not being considered and included fully, because I can't actually access the card myself.

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"I can't read what's written in it, so it creates this isolating experience for me."

Though it may seem like a non-issue to some, it's precisely these experiences that highlight how much the world isn't built for those with low vision.

"My eye condition isn't really restricting me throughout my day-to-day life, but it is these little barriers and little challenges that I face each day with not being able to access material or not feeling included in a situation, that add up," says Karlee.

"I'm actually quite an independent person, and I feel like I'm able to really do everything that I want to do.

"But it is the lack of accessibility within products or services that restrict me each day and prevent me from really reaching my potential.

"It really highlights to me that there is still a lack of accessibility, and I'm still not being considered in a lot of different areas." 

But now, people like Kaylee who are blind or have low vision will be able to share in the joy of exchanging milestone messages, with Guide Dogs and Hallmark teaming up to release a new line of greeting cards.

With vibrant and colourful designs and catering to several occasions and room inside to include braille tactile messages or stickers, the cards allow for a level of inclusion and independence that those with low vision have not been afforded previously.

"I think gift giving is such an important component for connection, and it's a way to celebrate important milestones. 

"Being able to have the same experience as other people and feel included is really vital for me to have that sense of belonging and to still feel connected to other people around me … and allow us to have that same level of independence as other people do." 

Another way Karlee is fostering a sense of independence is with the help of her beloved guide dog, Isla.  

She was matched with the pup in July 2023, and since then "we've come so far together as a team… and I've done a lot of things now that I probably wouldn't have been confident enough to do previously," Karlee says.

One of these things is moving from her rural home town to Sydney by herself. 

"She's just honestly opened up my world so much, and she really gives me so much more confidence in my ability to navigate around," she says.

"I'm no longer anxious to go out in the community, because I know that she's going to keep me safe, and she is also just such an incredible companion."

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